Balancing academics and extracurriculars isn’t easy, but for student leaders at Jimmy Carter Early College High School, the reward is worth the effort.
“I choose to be a part of the student government because I like being involved and knowing what’s happening in school and upcoming events,” said sophomore vice president Isabella Sarabia. “With student government, I have that leadership and the possibility to know or create events, making school funner and making students excited to come and enjoy their time here more.”
While Sarabia has always been active in student government, sophomore president Camila Garcia said her interest started with a simple suggestion.
“My mom told me, hey, you should try out student government my freshman year, and I was like, oh, let me try it out. I liked it, so I decided to try again my sophomore year,” Garcia said.
Each position in student government brings a unique set of responsibilities, and choosing the right role can shape a student’s experience.
“Last year, I was the class historian, and when it came time to run for my sophomore year, I thought, maybe I should try running for secretary,” Garcia said. “My freshman class teacher, Mr. Castillo, told me, hey, maybe you should try running for president; you never know what could happen.”
Garcia originally considered vice president but ultimately decided to run for president, feeling it might be her best chance to take on the role before her junior or senior year.
“My first choice was to be vice president because I wanted to be the president’s right hand. I wanted to be there to help, direct, or give my opinion to the president and also help my fellow officers out,” Sarabia said.
Sarabia is no stranger to being involved, participating in TAFE and helping classmates while maintaining her academic performance.
“I think being in student government improves my academics because being an officer while balancing academics forces me to be responsible and have everything planned out,” she said. “It helps me with my time management and balancing activities on events, and everything helps me balance my academics, like focusing on what I need to get done before I can have fun with my officers or events to plan.”
Garcia agrees that student government has improved her ability to handle responsibilities.
“No, I do not think student council is affecting my academics. I have become an excellent problem solver, and I have gotten tons better at being a good time management person,” Garcia said.
For both students, the experience has provided personal growth and practical skills.
“Some pros are that you get involved with your class and community,” Garcia said. “You get involved with events, games, and spirit weeks. You’re always there for all of your classmates. You also get to organize many things happening in school. One of the best things about this is that you get to let your peers’ voices be heard.”
Sarabia said the experience has helped her grow socially and personally.
“One of the pros is that I gained leadership skills from my position,” she said. “I was always very shy, but being on the student government has shown me that it’s okay to step outside my comfort zone and do things I might not normally do. As an officer, I feel it’s very important to ensure everyone feels included and comfortable while ensuring everything is in order. Also, my social skills — I met so many great people and made so many great friends from this organization.”
